Measuring container for granular material



37- w. 0. BROWN 2,088,836

MEASURING CONTAINER FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL 7 Filed Sept. 24, 1936 .INVENTOR. lldlier 0. firan rz.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 3,1937

uNi'r -o s'rmss PATENT orries MEASURING CONTAINER. FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL 8 Claims.

This invention relates to measuring containers for various materials, a particular purpose being to provide a container for material such as coffee, salt or other sufficiently dry material to. readily 5 pour through a spout within the interior of the container and a measuring device at the bottom of the container and spout having a portion for closing the bottom end of the. spout when turned to one position and a portion formed to provide a series of separate sections or receptacles of varying capacity to fill by gravity with the material in the container and movable by rotation of the measuring device to bring the said filled portions or sections successively to position to dis- 15 charge through the spout and prevent discharge of. the material from the container during the emptying of the receptacle in position to discharge to the spout.

A further object and feature of the invention is to provide a container having a removable 20 cover and a spout opening therethrough from the interior of the container, the spout having an enlarged bottom portion less in area than the cross sectional area of the container and a measuring device positioned beneath the enlarged 25 spout end. and provided with means for closing the said end to the container and having a series of receptacles normally filled by gravity from the container and movable in succession to discharge to the spout and being so constructed that when 30 turned to position a section or sections to discharge through the spout, the said spout bottom is closed to the container.

It is further a feature and object of the invention to provide a container having an internal 35 spout for discharge of material opening through the cover and a means rotatable on the bottom of the container adapted to bring one or more receptacles filled from the container to a position to discharge to the spout, the said rotatable bottom having graduations and the lower end of the container having at least one graduation relative to which the graduations on the rotatable bottom element may be brought to registration to indicate the amount of material to be discharged from the sections of the receptacle positioned to discharge through the spout.

More broadly speaking, the object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive 50 container having a spout with a base portion within the container through which material may be discharged therefrom and a rotatable measuring device forming the bottom of the container and constructed to seal the bottom of the spout to the material in the container at all times and to provide a series of what I have termed receptacles which, through rotation of the measuring device, may fill with material in the container by gravity and are turnable to present one or more of the receptacles in position to dis- 5 charge to the bottom of the spout.

These and other objects and novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of construction of a container and measuring device embcdying my invention is shown in the accompanying. drawing in which--- i Fig. l is an elevation partly broken away showing my improved measuring container.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the measuring device in plan view of the enlarged end of the spout.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. .1 showing the measuring device in plan View.

The container l is here shown as being round in cross section throughout its length. This form in cross section of the container may be changed if desired, the only requirement being that it shall be round in cross section for a distance from its bottom end to provide for the lower semi-circular end or skirt 2 of the spout 3 which is here shown as extending from the said enlarged end interiorly of and on one side of the container as will be understood from Fig. 2.

The spout, as shown, has a removable cap 4 and extends through an opening provided in a removable cover 5 for the container, the cover being required topermit the container to be turned upside down to pour material through the spout when its cover is removed and this is preferably secured to the top 5 by a flexible link chain 5. The spout, in the structure shown, has its end 2 occupying thebottom area of the container as will be understood more clearly from Figs. 2 and 3 and this. enlarged bottom end extends by the curved portion 1 to connection with the vertical inner wall of the spout and its side edges are sufficiently closely associated with the inner wall of the container as to prevent ingress of material intothe saidbotto-m and may be soldered or otherwise secured thereto.

The inner surface of the portion 2 is rounded as is indicated by the shade lines in Fig. 2 and is so shaped as to avoid crevices or corners tending to prevent ready flow of material or provide recesses in which it may lodge.

The containerbottom is preferably provided with an outturned portion enclosing a wire and forming an external circular rib 8. To this rib is secured a measuring device comprising an outer cup like shell 9, the edge thereof at the open end being turned over at III to engage over the circular rib 8 and indented at II to engage therebeneath thereby securing the said measuring device 9 in rotatable relation on the rib.

As previously stated, the lower end 2 of the discharge spout is an enlarged portion extending inwardly from the vertical portion 3 of the spout and is of a curved formation fitted to the inner wall of the container as indicated by the line 2a in Fig. 2 and has, in the form shown, a diametrically extending depending flange l2.

The measuring device, as indicated generally at 9, is of a cup-shaped form as heretofore stated, and is provided on the interior with a plate I3 of the same size and shape as the lower end of the spout and has a depending flange I4 extending to the bottom of the cupped member 9. This flange I4 extends diametrically across the container beneath the flange I2 of the spout and has angularly disposed vertical walls I5, I6, and IT, in the form here shown, providing four recesses I8, I9, 20, and 2| which may be of different sizes or capacities. These form receptacles or measuring recesses which may be varied in capacity, depending upon the character of material to be dispensed.

With coffee, the recesses 2| and 20 may be for one or two teaspoonfuls, the section I9 for two teaspoonfuls and the section I8 for two teaspoonfuls. In the position of the parts as shown, for instance in Figs. 2 and 4, the diametrical flange I2 of the spout registers with the wall M of the measuring device and in this relationship of the parts, the material in the container fills all the receptacles.

The wall I4 of the measuring device has, at one side of the center of the measuring device and preferably near the periphery, an upstanding lug 22 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and this lug, when the wall I4 is turned to the left of the position shown in Fig. 3, will engage the flange I2 and prevent further rotation. At this time, all of the receptacles are open to the container and will fill with material. When the measuring device is turned to the position shown in Fig. 3, the receptacles 2| and 20 may be emptied by 0 turning the container to position to allow the material to flow out through the spout. The measuring device may be continued in rotation from left to right from the position of the parts shown in Fig. 3 to bring the receptacles I9 and I8 in succession to beneath the skirt 2 of the spout. When the measuring device is turned half way round, the stop 22 engages the flange I2 on the right hand side which positions all of the recesses beneath the skirt 2 and positions the portion I3 on the opposite side of the diametrical line of the container from the position shown in Fig. 2. Thus the measuring device may be rotated, in the construction here shown, only a half turn and when turned half way about, all of the receptacles will empty through the spout.

By means of the graduations 23 on the outside surface of the measuring device, any one of the same may be turned to registration with the graduation 24 on the outside face of the container adjacent the rib 8 and these graduations indicate the amount of material that may be discharged at any setting of the measuring device.

As previously stated, the measuring sections 1.5 may be of any desired shape or form without in referring to the of the measuring device, I intend to mean any character of structure of a character to receive a specific quantity of material when in position to be filled from the material in the container and while I have shown the lower enlarged end or skirt 2 of the spout as occupying at its base one-half the area of the container bottom, it may be otherwise shaped to occupy more or less than half the area of the bottom and the measuring device correspondingly shaped, the essential feature being that the measuring device shall have a part corresponding to the portion numbered I3 which conforms to the shape in plan view of the bottom of the skirt or enlarged portion 2 of the spout and the remaining portion constructed to provide a series of spaced receptacles.

In the construction shown, the receptacles are spaced by the vertical dividing walls i5, I6, and I! which, at the respective graduations, align with the flange I2 and prevent material flowing from a receptacle open to the container to beneath the flange I2 when emptying a receptacle positioned beneath the open end of the skirt and it is essential in any character of construction providing these receptacles, that no fiow of material from the container to the spout may be permitted. The flange I2 of the skirt 2 of the spout acts as a striker for the receptacles as they are turned therebeneath.

In operation, the measuring device is turned to the left of the position shown in Fig. 3 until the stop 22 engages the flange I2 on the skirt 2 of the spout in which position of the parts, all of the receptacles will be filled with material from the container. If the operator then desires to discharge only a single receptacle the measuring device is turned to bring the first graduation thereon to registration with the zero mark. If a quantity of material greater than the first receptacle may provide is desired, the measuring device may be turned to position a second, third or fourth receptacle beneath the spout, the graduations guiding the operator in respect to the position of receptacles and preferably, the graduations on the measuring device correspond to the amount of material that will be discharged by the receptacles registering to beneath the spoutthat is with the numeral 2 shown in Fig. 1 in registration with the zero indication on the container, two volumes, as for instance two teaspoonfuls would be delivered to the spout and thus the numerals accompanying the graduations on the measuring device correspond to the amount of material that may be delivered when any of the respective numerals are brought to registration with the graduation on the container.

It is also pointed out that, by this construction, once all the containers have been brought to be neath the skirt 2, the device cannot deliver any material except that contained in the receptacles and if more is required the measuring device will require to be reversely turned bringing the stop 22 to engagement with the flange I2 on the left side of Fig. 3 so that all the receptacles are then first filled from the by turning the measuring device, may bring the receptacles containing a further quantity of material to beneath the skirt. i

From the foregoing description, it is believed evident that the device is of simple and comparatively inexpensive construction; is easily operated; isaccurate in delivering only the quantity of material determined upon by the setting of the proper graduation of the measuring device in registration with the graduation on the container, and that the various objects and features of the invention are attained by the structure described, it being understood that various changes in the construction of theparts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, whatI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. A container for dispensing materials in measured quantity comprising a container body, a discharge spout associated therewith and having a base portion open to-the bottom of the container, a rotatable measuring device providing the container bottom having a part fitting the wall of the container and bottom edge of the spout to seal the same to the interior of the container and the remaining portion of the measuring device having a series of receptacles and through rotation of which the receptacles may be brought in succession from the position of filling from the container to position for discharging through the spout, the said bottom edge of the spout operating as a striker for the receptacles as they are turned therebeneath to discharging position,v and means for indicating the position of the measuring device to discharge a predetermined quantity of material within the capacity of the receptacles.

2. A container for dispensing materials in measured quantity comprising a container body, a discharge spout associated therewith and having a base portion open to the bottom of the container, a rotatable measuring device providing the container bottom having a part fitting the wall of the container and bottom edge of the spout to seal the same to the interior of the container and the remaining portion of the measuring device having a series of receptacles and through rotation of which the receptacles may be brought in succession from the position of filling from the container to position for discharging through the spout, the said bottom edge of the spout operating as a striker for the receptacles as they are turned therebeneath to discharging position, the outer surface of the container at the bottom and outer surface of the measuring device bearing graduations to be brought to registration by relative rotation of the container and measuring device to indicate the position of the measuring device for discharge of a predetermined quantity of material, and means limiting the extent of rotation of the measuring device in either direction thereby permitting all the receptacles to be in filling or in discharging position.

3. A container for dispensing materials in measured quantity comprising a container body,,

a discharge spout associated therewith and having a base portion open to the bottom of the container, a rotatable measuring device providing the container bottom having a part fitting the wall of the container and bottom edge of the spout to seal the same to the interior of the container and the remaining portion of the measuring device having a series of receptacles and through rotation of which the receptacles may be brought in succession from the position of filling from the container to position for discharging through the spout, the said bottom edge of the spout operating as a striker for the receptacles as they are turned therebeneath to discharging position, the outer surface of the container at the bottom and outer surface of the measuring device bearing graduations to be brought to registration to indicate the position of the measuring device to discharge a predetermined quantity of material.

4. A container for dispensing material in measured quantity comprising a, body having a circular and open bottom end, a discharge spout extending upwardly along the inner surface of the container wall and having an open bottom end coinciding with the said open end of the body, a measuring device comprising a closure for said open end of the body and secured in rotatable association therewith, said measuring device having a fiat surface of a size and shape corresponding to the area of the open bottom end of the spout to, and when in registration therewith, sealing the spout to the interior of the measuring device, the remaining part of the measuring device having a series of receptacles in spaced relation which may fill with material to be dispensed when the receptacles are open to the container body, means for turning the measuring device to bring a receptacle from a filling position to position to discharge through the spout, the walls of the measuring device between the receptacles registering with the edge of the spout as each receptacle is brought to discharging position whereby material from the receptacles within the container may not discharge to beneath the spout edge, and means indicating to the operator which of the receptacles are positioned to discharge through the spout.

5. A container for dispensing materials in measured quantity comprising a metal container having an open bottom end of circular cross section and an open top, a cover for the top, a discharge spout extending along the interior of the container onone side from the bottom to the top, said cover having an aperture through which the discharge end of the spout extends and the bottom end of the container having an enlarged portion terminating approximately in the plane of the bottom of the container, a measuring device rotatably mounted on the bottom end of the container and having a portion. of its inner face adapted to register with the open end of the spout to seal the same to the container and the remaining face area of the measuring device being shaped to provide receptacles of difierent volumetric capacity and filling from the container body when open thereto, rotation of the measuring device in one direction bringing a predeterminable number of receptacles to position to discharge through the spout, the receptacles being separated by a wall registerable with the wall of the spout when any receptacle is properly positioned to discharge through the spout and preventing material from the container passing to the spout, the bottom edge of the spout providing a striker for the receptacles so that the receptacles are even full as they pass from the filling to the discharging position, and means observable by the operator to determine the position of the receptacles in respect to the lower end of the spout.

6. A container for dispensing a measured quantity of material comprising an open ended body circular in cross section, a cover for the top of the body and a measuring device forming a bottom therefor, the measuring device having an imperforate bottom and a peripheral wall shaped at its edge to be secured on the container in rotatable relation therewith, a spout having an enlarged bottom terminating at the upper face of the measuring device, the measuring device having a top formed with a portion of the same form as the bottom end of the spout and enclosed portion of the end of the container body and the remaining portion of the measuring device surface being formed with spaced receptacles in a radial relation and through rotation of the measuring device in respect to the body being brought successively to beneath the enlarged end of the spout, said spout extending upwardly along the wall of the body and having an end at the top of the body open to atmosphere, means limiting the extent of rotation of the measuring device in either direction about its axis whereby the receptacles may all be positioned to receive material from the container body or all may be positioned to discharge through the spout, and means providing an indication to the operator whereby any number of the receptacles may be positioned to discharge through the spout.

7. A container for dispensing materials in measured quantity comprising an open ended body of the desired form in cross section, a cap for one end and a measuring device comprising a base and a cylindrical side Wall, the bottom end of the container being cylindrical in form and the bottom end of the measuring device being correspondingiy formed to rotatably mount the measuring device thereon, said measuring device forming a closure for the body and being providedwith receptacles, a spout having an upwardly inclined base extending inwardly from one side of the body to approximately a diametrical line thereacross, said spout extending up wardly from the top of the inclined base and having an opening to atmosphere, the rotation of the measuring device positioning one or more of the receptacles to beneath the base of the spout permitting the said receptacles, by up-ending the container, to discharge through the spout, and means for indicating the rotative position of the measuring device to thereby discharge a predetermined quantity of material through the spout.

8. A container for dispensing materials in measured quantity comprising a container body having an open bottom and a discharge spout therefor opening at one end to atmosphere and having a base portion within and open to the container adjacent the bottom end. a measuring device comprising in a unitary structure, a cuplike member provided in its interior with open receptacles in fixed relation therewith, means for rotatably mounting the cup member on the bottom of the container to form a closure therefor, the said base portion of the spout extending over a portion of the upper face of the measuring device and shielding the said portion thereof from contact with the material in the container body to be dispensed, the remaining portion of the measuring device being in contact with and supporting the material, the arrangement being such that on turning the measuring device to position the receptacles outside the base of the spout, they are filled by gravity from the container body and on turning the measuring device to position the receptacles beneath the base of the spout, the material may be discharged 1 through the spout by up-ending the container, and means for indicating the rotative position of the measuring device to thereby determine the number of receptacles positioned beneath the said spout base.

WALTER 0. BROWN. 

